Paradigm shift: Curriculum is not something you buy

What if it doesn’t matter which books we use, which history projects we take on, how many lessons of math we accomplish in a year?

Homeschoolers spent an inordinate amount of time thinking about “curriculum,” but what if, when we compare spelling programs and choose math books, we aren’t really talking about curriculum at all?

Curriculum isn’t something we buy. It’s something we teach. Something we embody. Something we love. It is the form and content of our children’s learning experiences.

Saxon Math isn’t the curriculum. It’s just the book that we use to teach the actual curriculum, which is: math.

If we started thinking about our children’s learning in terms of what we hope they will come to encounter in any given year rather than thinking of getting through a particular book or “covering” material, we free ourselves to learn far more than we could by binding ourselves to a set published resource. Of course we will use such resources to reach our goals — but the resource will be our servant, not our master.

Authors of curriculum resources are often wise and helpful in setting general standards and goals, but no one knows our particular children better than we do. No curriculum publisher could possibly understand our hopes and dreams for them — their strengths, their weaknesses, the longings of their hearts.

We, however, do.

Why trade that out for 36 weeks of someone else’s?

We are an anxious bunch, we homeschoolers. We fret and worry over how much of the curriculum we can cover in a year.

But curriculum cannot be covered anymore than we could hope to go over all the mysteries of the universe in 12 academic years.

Curriculum is life, and life cannot be contained within the pages of a book. Let’s not shrink this down from the splendor that it actually is. We have the opportunity here for wide expansive learning.

When our children look back on their childhood, what are they most likely to remember with pleasure? The history paper on the Hundred Years War? Or the family trip to the local museum taken on a rainy afternoon? The chapter in the science book about waterfowl, or the trumpeter swans seen on a weekend hike?

Intellectual learning is of tremendous value, of course, but in our seeking after it, let us not forget the importance of poetic knowledge. Poetic knowledge is that which we can only acquire through real experience — the rich deep knowing that happens down in our bones.

Those afternoons we forego the usual schedule to volunteer at a soup kitchen or shovel snow for the sick neighbor are of no less value than academic work. We know this at our core, but we forget when we get right down to the daily grind.

We give lip service, saying that we value service projects or family leisure but then leaving no room in our schedules for doing puzzles, taking long afternoon strolls, or making meals for the mom with a new baby down the street.

Instead: live life. Fill it to the brim with love. Take your time, and talk about everything. Doing this in front of our kids, doing this with our kids — this is the essence of poetic knowledge.

I’m not suggesting that we tack this on to our already crammed schedules. I’m suggesting that we clear the way and MAKE room. Forget about getting through every single lesson in the book between September and May. Do the next lesson, do it well, and give it our all.

But then do something else.

Don’t let published resources be the master of the curriculum. When we realize that our family camping trip is ripe with learning opportunities, we come to value that week in August as much as we value a productive academic week in January.

Once we understand that the curriculum is actually far, far bigger than any published resource could ever be, the opportunities to let all of life become teacher explode before us. The doors of learning fling wide.

Our children are indeed learning all the time — sometimes it’s academic, sometimes it’s poetic. Our children need both. Let’s not slide into thinking that nothing is happening if we aren’t hitting the books.

I just wrote about this the other day…my children’s curriculum is life- living life to the fullest. I’ve learned to step back and immerse themselves in projects of their own interests. I also have been doing a little strewing. Sometimes they’ll use what I put out- like a foam puzzle, science and literature books, and craft items- other things will go untouched. And that’s okay. I just want to open doors for them, but entering is all up to them. Sometimes they’ll enthusiastically do science experiments with me; other times they just want to do their own thing. Life IS learning, so whatever they choose to do is fine by me.Shelly’s latest post: Weekend Review: Breakthrough

Very well stated, I loved it! I needed to hear this, thank you for sharing your thoughts. You are right, “curriculum is life”, this is why I decided to homeschool in the first place! I often have feelings of inadequacy, and teaching certain subjects becomes intimidating and overwhelming so I allow the workbooks to set my yearly schedule. Many times my children ask me when are we going to go on a walk, and I tell them, “After you get your school work done.”

You know- I think so many of us start out with these great and beautiful intentions to live out a full and wide life with our kids as homeschoolers, and then we end up getting caught up in the daily grind after all. We need to lean on each other to remember WHY we are doing this in the first place! That’s why I love places like Simple Homeschool. Ah the big beautiful internet. Sarah Mackenzie’s latest post: Paradigm Shift (Curriculum is Not Something You Buy) — at Simple Homeschool

Beautiful article, Sarah! This is exactly the reason I like to keep our motto “living life together.” That’s where the action really is. It also means that working through bad attitudes about doing hard school and work is also part of the curriculum. And, those bad attitudes aren’t only on the kids’ end!Mystie’s latest post: Education is a Life: Fortiter fideliter forsan feliciter, or Repentance

That is actually the best kind of education which I learned about in graduate school. Using experiences to learn from. It just amazes me how so many homeschool moms are able to tap into this without any kind of advanced schooling.

This is a beautiful post. The idea of “poetic” knowledge resonates with me. The funny thing is that my upbringing involved lots of wonderful experiences (the sort of things that built imagination and creativity) but slightly less academic organization than might have been best. In reaction, I think I’ve tended to over-emphasize my desire to “cover” “everything,” and I appreciate your reminder not to forget the whole picture.

I just love this post Sarah. I agree completely that our children need all kinds of learning, and when we come to see the world as a classroom, there are so many amazing opportunities. Kara’s latest post: Feeling judged?

May just be my new favorite thing you have ever written — which is saying a lot, you know. I want to think more about these goals and how to use resources and poetic knowledge to reach them.Pam @ Everyday Snapshots’s latest post: How to Make Fun Birthday Cakes without Food Coloring

Thank-you for giving me a name for what you mean by “poetic knowledge”. This deep, soulful knowledge is so hard to pinpoint and so hard to appreciate from the outside. Only the new know-er can truly measure an experience of poetic knowledge. But it is those moments and experiences which most readily become who we are.Rachel at Stitched in Color’s latest post: Welcome, Southern Fabric!

Just yesterday I was fussing at the kids because they didn’t want to follow the “curriculum” I had laid out. I tried reminding myself, and them, that I was homeschooling (this is my first year) because God lead me to. I told myself, and the kids, that since He lead me to it, He would show me how I was to teach them. My children stopped, dropped, and prayed right then. Since that moment I have read 3 posts that encouraged me to keep going and not give up, and pointed me to a less stringent “style,” dare I say “unschooling.” I guess I know what I need to do, now to just be able to follow His instructions and let go of my own selfish control issues. Thank you for being a part of His plan in my family’s life, may He bless you abundantly.

This is so much win!
I often compare curriculum to vitamin supplements. It’s in addition to the real life experiences. Experience and relationship are the healthy, wholesome foods of learning and books are supplements. You can’t live off a diet of vitamins and supplements alone. And it is far better to get your nutrition (aka learning) from real stuff when you can.

I really love this. I’m so guilty of getting caught up in following the curriculum or trying to do what it seems like other home schoolers are doing. I needed this reminder, for sure! Jessica@ramblingsofamommy’s latest post: Treating Our Kids with Respect

Oh well said!! Completely, completely agree with you!!! When I look back at my schooling with my college grads the moments we remember are our nature adventures (rambles) those winter afternoons reading and reading, the time we built the Redwall Abbey etc, all part of the puzzle, we do remember some of the more academic moments too but still all pieces of a fabric

In my experience you have to balance both the curricula and life. Focusing on life does no good if the children reach adulthood not ready for advanced education or pursuing their tangible dreams. On the other hand, when we focus on education and curricula to the extend of postponing or avoiding life, we lose opportunities to grow and dream. Finding a good balance took years and we’re still shifting from one side to the other as needed.

Really enjoyed this post. Right on! I never planned on homeschooling one of my kids, but deep down this, which you described as poetic knowledge, is what I wanted it to feel like.
Thank you for the reminder.Basi’s latest post: January Updates

I really appreciate this post, and have been trying to do this throughout the year. Every so often I find myself wondering why we haven’t finished a book yet. I have to reframe: learning is happening no matter what page we are on.Cait Fitz @ My Little Poppies’s latest post: Homeschooling Under Construction REALLY Starts Tomorrow

This is something of which I need to be reminded over and over. And over. It’s just so easy to get stuck in the weeds of finishing books and lists–especially, I find, as my kids become teenagers. After nine years of homeschooling, this remembering to live wide and deep is sometimes less automatic than it was in the beginning! Thanks for the nudge to stay aware and alive with my kids.Hannah’s latest post: The Power of Poetry

I really, really love this! After many years of trial and error, reading and research, I have come to the realization that curriculum as we have come to call the packaged, preset lessons are not the answer to peace in our homeschool. Tuning into the child in front of us, embracing their strengths and honoring their challenges, and viewing life, with all its complexities, as the curriculum is the only way to have a true education. We are often attracted to the lesson plans that are all written out for us because they give us the notion that if we follow them our children will be well-educated. While these resources certainly have their place, we must look beyond them and see them as guide and inspiration and instead keep at the forefront the relationship, ours with our child and our child’s with knowledge. Do they seek it? Hunger for it? Notice what is truthful and beautiful? That, in my eyes is the curriculum, and all other things are resources to help us in that mission. Thanks so much for sharing this post. It is such a good reminder!Angela Awald’s latest post: The Big Book Pile-Up Printables

Wow does this resonate with me right now. Thank you! It is so easy to become chained to the materials and feel like you need to complete a certain amount of things to feel like you’re “doing enough” or feel guilty when you spend time not doing curriculum-based things. I’ve had many a day when I’ve felt like it’s been a failure because we didn’t check off x number of tasks or finish all the lessons in a book. Partly because it feels like quitting and partly because it feels like a waste of $ not to use them even though it’s trying to fit the kid to the materials rather than just going with what works. Whenever we’ve veered away from the purchased materials and I’ve stopped watching the clock it’s been more fun and more memorable and they’ve been excited about what they’ve learned. Yet I always feel like we need to come back to the grind or we’re not doing enough/keeping up with where they need to be. I realize it is crazy because we homeschool to get away from the standard school format and I keep falling into that trap over & over. I’ve been planning to take a week off from our normal routine and get to the things that always get pushed off as not as critical like trips out, creative projects, games, etc. and this post reaffirms that’s the right decision. It’s my hope that I may finally be able to let the hold packaged curriculum has had on us go and maybe being “off the curriculum” will be our new normal.Cheryl @ Sew Can Do’s latest post: March’s First Craftastic Monday Link Party!

wow, man. i just had a major melt-down today about all the worry…am i doing enough, too much? do the kids have enough “lesson” time? too much? and i really needed this perspective today. so badly. THANK YOU!

I love this post. People look at me like I am crazy when I say that we don’t use any specific curriculum, but that we learn what is interesting to us. I think that they think this means we don’t do anything. But in actuality we do so much more. We get to go as deep or as shallow into any topic that we want and my children keep the knowledge and build off of it instead of forgetting unimportant details that might be on quiz. We still have history, science, math, etc. but it isn’t on a worksheet or in a book. It is our life.